PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zach Attack (ranked 3695 p4p, 346 weight class) and Dave Monson (ranked 2210 p4p, 220 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Attack
vs
Monson

179 cm
22
165 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

174 cm
22
168 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zach Attack!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dave Monson!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Arvi Lind and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Attack misses with a two punch combination.
Monson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Attack.
Monson shoots in for a takedown but Attack shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Monson checks the leg kick.
Monson dives in for a single leg takedown but Attack sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Monson scores with a leg kick.
Attack throws a body shot but no joy.
Attack swinging wildly here.
Attack scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Attack pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Monson feints the counter takedown.
Monson throws a leg kick
and Attack counters with a three punch combo that has Monson backing up. Monson nods at Attack to acknowledge the strikes.
Attack misses with a series of wild punches.
Monson with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A jab lands there for Attack.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monson shoots for a takedown but Attack saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Zach Attack has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dave Monson.
Attack connects with a good right hand that stumbles Monson. Monson circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

It looks like Dave Monson has been cut.
Attack throws a nice looking combination but Monson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Monson is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Attack rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Monson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Zach Attack is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Attack throws a right hand that Monson ducks under and follows up with a left that Monson also avoids with ease.
Attack throws a right hand that Monson ducks under and follows up with a left that Monson also avoids with ease.
Attack misses with the combination.
Attack moves out of range of the body kick.
Attack misses with a few strikes there.
Attack cracks Monson with an open hand slap.
Attack tries a head kick but it misses.
Monson misses with a low kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Attack blocks the leg kick.
Monson throws a wild body kick that Attack sees coming a mile off.
Monson takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Attack connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monson bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Monson finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Attack falls off balance throwing a combination

and Monson counters with a shoot takedown. Attack fights it but they end up in guard.
Monson trying to control but Attack is working from the bottom.
Attack looking to hit a scissor sweep but Monson is one step ahead there.
Attack looking to control but Monson passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monson landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Monson moves into full mount! Attack won't be happy about that!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Monson controlling from mount.
Monson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Attack is looking to escape.
Attack is looking to improve his position but Monson isn't that keen on the idea.
Attack tries to hold on but Monson pushes him away.
Monson wants to control the pace but Attack is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Monson looking to secure an arm triangle but Attack defends it well.

Monson working for a guillotine from mount but Attack is in no mood to give up.
Attack bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Monson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Attack defends it easily.
Monson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zach Attack dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dave Monson's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Monson rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Attack counters with a nice uppercut.
Zach Attack is winning the standup battle so far.
Attack swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Monson counters with a single leg into guard. Attack didn't expect that.
Attack pulls Monson in close to prevent any damage.
Monson trying to control the position from guard on top but Attack is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Attack is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Attack is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Attack tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Attack is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Monson can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monson trying to control the position from guard on top but Attack is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Monson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Attack manages to avoid it.
Monson digs a good body shot into Attack's ribs.
Attack tries to bum rush Monson with a series of wild strikes but Monson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Monson fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Attack checks it well.
Zach Attack is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Monson throws a head kick but Attack moves out of range.
Attack is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.
Attack sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
The fighters circling - Attack throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Monson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Attack tries to land a front kick but Monson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Monson misses with a low kick.
Monson throws a sloppy head kick and Attack moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
As Monson looks to move away, Attack throws a big counter combo but Monson just gets out of the way.
A low kick from Monson misses
and Monson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Monson lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Attack throws a series of punches but Monson avoids them all with ease.
Attack throws a right hand that Monson ducks under and follows up with a left that Monson also avoids with ease.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Attack looks to land a combination. Monson sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Some wild striking there from Attack.
Attack lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Attack takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Attack!
A shot to the liver by Attack. Beautiful body shot.
Monson avoids the body shot from Attack.
Attack misses with a few strikes there.
And Monson tries to counter it with a takedown but Attack pushes his down on his head and steps out.
A combination from Attack does no damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monson thows a body kick. Attack tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Attack throws a body punch but Monson moves out of range.
Monson connects with a solid leg kick.
Attack on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Monson. Monson obviously looking to wear him down.
Attack walks into a stiff left hand from Monson.
Monson throws a low kick but it's checked well by Attack.
Monson takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Attack tries a head kick but it misses.
Monson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Attack takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Monson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Attack scores with a shot to the body.
Monson fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Attack.
Attack fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Attack misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Attack misses with a body kick.
Monson with the counter takedown but Attack avoids it easily.
Attack looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Attack just misses with a punch to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Monson.
Attack misses with a body shot.
Attack throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Attack missing with a left hand there. Monson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Attack moves out of range of the body kick from Monson.
Monson just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromAttack.
Attack takes a swing at Monson's ribcage but misses.
Monson lands a leg kick that knocks Attack off balance momentarily.
Monson dives in and grabs Attack's left leg, looking for a takedown. Attack pushes down on Monson's head and hops out.
Attack scores with a hook.
Monson misses with a low kick.
Attack throws a combination that misses

and Monson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Monson trying to control the action but Attack is working from the bottom.
Monson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zach Attack dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dave Monson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Monson blocks a head kick by Attack.
Attack looks to score with a jab to the body but Monson is just out of range.
Monson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Monson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Attack lands a slapping body shot.
Attack pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Monson back to the cage. Attack follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Attack is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Monson blocks a head kick by Attack.

Monson dives in and scores a takedown into Attack's guard.
Attack wants to get back to his feet but Monson passes into half guard.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Monson works his way into side control.

Monson tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Monson is trying to get an arm triangle but Attack is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Attack tries to improve position but can't.
Attack prevents Monson from moving into mount.
Attack is pushing Monson's head away, looking to escape. Monson manages to hold on to the position though.

Monson tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Monson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Attack, who protects the arm well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Monson is trying to get an arm triangle but Attack is defending well.
Attack is looking to regain half guard here but Monson keeps moving and retains side control.
Monson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Attack keeps working.

Monson tries for a kimura but Attack is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Attack is looking to reverse the position.

Monson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Attack has escaped the position, nice work there.
Attack tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Monson presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

Monson has control of Attack's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Attack regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Monson is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Attack is surviving well by controlling Monson's body position as best he can.
Dave Monson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Monson there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Monson thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Monson with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Monson moves to take his opponent's back.
Zach Attack is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Attack wants to escape the position.
Dave Monson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Monson throws strikes from the back but Attack rolls nicely and manages to end up in full guard. Nice work by Attack.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dave Monson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Attack has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zach Attack!
Zach Attack gave a mention to Pit Bull Development in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).
In defeat, Dave Monson stepped up to the mic, saying 'Naaah'.